Determination of elemental sulfur in environmental samples by gas chromatography mass spectrometry

A new analytical method for the determination of elemental sulfur using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed. Elemental sulfur, SO, was extracted from a fresh sediment sample with the aid of CCl4. One microliter of CCl4 extract was directly injected into and analyzed by GC-MS. In comparison with the few existing methods for SO determination, this technique was found to be much simpler, faster, more sensitive and interference free. Good correlation coefficients (0.996-1.00) for the S-0 calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range of 1.0 mu M-10.0 mM by using appropriate MS parameters. The absolute limit of detection of this method was 96 pg S-0 and the precision (RSD) was usually better than 7.0%. The method was used in the determination of S-0 in 5 different lake sediments collected in the region of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.